Chapter 23 The Weight Of Secrets

• Aphrodite's Point of View
• The cold, damp air of the dungeon wrapped around me as I moved mechanically, scrubbing the stone floors with the other maids. I could feel their tiredness, their quiet suffering, mirrored in my own bones. My hands moved on their own, wiping the grime and filth away, though my mind was far elsewhere. Thoughts of Zeus and what had happened between us swirled in my head, a storm that wouldn’t relent. And Hera… Hera’s words still echoed in my mind—the Dark Moon Pack, my father’s condition, and Zeus’s refusal of her offer. It felt like the walls were closing in on me from every side.
• I wiped the back of my hand across my forehead, suddenly feeling weak. My body trembled, my breath coming in short gasps. A wave of dizziness crashed over me, and I blinked, trying to focus, but everything blurred. The room spun around me, and before I could steady myself, the world went dark.